The present invention generally relates to a video game apparatus and method providing enhanced interactive three-dimensional character and background screen effects and player control capabilities. More particularly, the invention relates to a video game system including a joystick-based, multifunctional player controller and unique video game methodology having an open level video game organization, automatic and user-controlled camera perspective modification capabilities, and a wide range of character control and animation features providing a new era in video gaming.
Microprocessor-based home video game systems such as the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System have been highly successful in part because they can interactively produce exciting videographics involving numerous animated moving objects.
The video game system and methodology described herein permits game play involving three-dimensional images having a depth and realism far exceeding these and other heretofore known video game systems. The video game system features a unique player controller, which permits control over a character""s exploration of the three-dimensional world to an unprecedented extent.
The present invention features video game methodology, marking a new era in video game play. The video game methodology in accordance with the present invention involves game level organization features, camera perspective or point of view control features, and a wide array of animation and character control features.
In accordance with one illustrative video game embodiment of the present invention, which is presently being sold by the inventors"" assignee as xe2x80x9cSuper Mario 64xe2x80x9d for play on the Nintendo 64 video game system, a castle serves as an entry point to many different courses or levels. Once in a given course or level, a player attempts to accomplish a set of independent goals, such as recovering a set of stars hidden throughout the course. Typically, in prior art video games, once a player completes the requirements for a particular level, the player is automatically advanced to the next level. In accordance with one illustrative embodiment, once a player accumulates enough stars to advance to the next level, the player is not automatically thrust into the next level. Rather, the player may continue play in the current level or may exit and return to a common castle area. The player may then choose a path within the castle to reenter a previously completed course associated with an already achieved level or elect to explore the castle area. In effect, the video game methodology of the present invention incorporates an open level environment for all courses which have previously been completed.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, it is not necessary for a player to accomplish all the goals, e.g., accumulate all possible stars, which are present in a course, before access to a further course is permitted. It is thus possible to exit a first course, move to a different course and then return to the first course to search for further hidden stars. There is no set order in a particular stage or course for a player to accomplish predetermined goals, such as collection of stars. Moreover, advancement to a further stage by two different players may be enabled by accomplishing completely different or substantially different goals.
In the illustrative embodiment described herein, the user enters a three-dimensional castle in which doors provide access to rooms having paintings on the castle walls. A player enters a course by jumping through the painting and into the three-dimensional world depicted by the painting. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the zone of the painting (e.g., defined by height) into which a player-controlled character (e.g., Mario) is controlled to leap, affects the course environment, e.g., the displayed course water level depends upon the picture zone into which Mario leaps.
The present video game methodology allows the user to manipulate the xe2x80x9ccameraxe2x80x9d angle (i.e., the displayed point of view in the three-dimensional world) in response to actuation of a plurality of distinct controller keys/buttons/switches, e.g., four xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d buttons in the exemplary embodiment. The control keys allow the user at any time to move in for a close up or pull back for a wide view or pan the camera to the right and left to change the apparent camera angle. Such user initiated camera manipulation permits a player to better judge jumps or determine more precisely where an object is located in relation to the player controlled character. For example, one camera perspective control button allows the user to switch to a perspective which is adjusted to be directly behind the player controlled character. In this fashion, portions of the game where there is a very narrow platform or enclosed space which must be traversed, may be more successfully traversed. The shooting direction may be changed by operation of the unique controller""s joystick to change the direction of the character""s head to smoothly control direction shifts in which the player wants to see. By utilizing the ability to switch three-dimensional display perspectives, a player can advantageously enhance success in the game by gaining a better angle to attack a jump, navigate a narrow ledge or discover what is around a corner. Thus, a player may achieve a higher score than otherwise would be possible by judicially changing the camera angle.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the present video game system automatically changes the apparent moving direction of the camera or modifies the apparent camera angle depending upon the controlled character""s circumstance, e.g., is he inside a castle, outside a castle, inside a room, running, flying, swimming, etc. In instances where the game processor detects that, for example, a wall exists between, for example, the player controlled character and a camera point of view, a calculation is made as to the required camera movement to prevent obstruction between the eye of the camera and the operable object. The camera is then moved to a new position in accordance with the calculated moving angle. The camera perspective is automatically changed to select the best camera angle according to the character""s circumstances so the player can enjoy the visual effects being experienced in a three-dimensional world.
A wide range of animation effects and character control techniques are contemplated by the video methodology in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. For example, the controlled character""s pace may be varied between walking by slight controller joystick movement or running through a greater angular displacement of the joystick, while at the same time controlling the direction of the character""s movement over 360 degrees in the three-dimensional world. A player controlled character""s movement is also controlled as a function of the surface topography on which he stands. For example, a character""s moving speed changes depending upon whether the character is standing on a horizontal upwardly or downwardly inclined plane. Speed changes also are controlled as a function of a surface""s coefficient of friction, e.g. a surface having little traction, such as ice or snow, or a surface having more traction, such as grass. A player controlled character may be controlled in a multitude of different ways utilizing the combination of the joystick and/or cross-switch and/or control keys. The interpretation given to the depression of a particular control key is dependent upon the state and position of a character in the three-dimensional world. For example, if Mario is in a still or static state, by manipulating the joystick, the character will be controlled to run. However, if a control key, referred to as the xe2x80x9cZxe2x80x9d button is depressed, prior to the joystick being manipulated, the character is displayed as crouching. Further joystick manipulation will then cause the character to appear to crawl. If the Z button is pressed not from a still position, but rather after Mario has been controlled to jump as a result of pushing the A button, then Mario will pound the ground rather than crouch as described above.
The player controlled character can be controlled to perform consecutive jumps, consecutive kicks, backwards somersaults, long jumps, etc. Moreover, the character responds to environmental conditions such as the wind, the presence of noxious gas (which will trigger a coughing sequence) and numerous other effects which simulate realistic environmental reactions. Realistic animation is further simulated by controlling the player controlled character""s body orientation while the character is in motion. For example, if the character is running fast, the character""s upper body tilts forward. On the other hand, if the character is turning in one direction or another, the character""s upper body is displayed as tilting towards the turn.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the number of polygons utilized to display a player-controlled character is modified depending upon the speed of movement of the character, whereby the number of polygons is reduced at higher speed. At low level speeds, the character is drawn with a predetermined number of polygons and at higher level speeds the character is drawn with a reduced number of polygons, except that the polygons used for drawing the face remains the same as at the first level speed. In this fashion, the character is simulated in a manner designed to appear to be most realistic to the user, who is more likely to focus on the character face, rather than the body during animated character motion.